What Are Private Synthetic Panels?
Synthetic panel modeling generates respondent-level datasets that mirror the output of proprietary panels while eliminating the need for recruitment, incentives, and ongoing panel software. Instead of maintaining a live panel of real respondents, your organization provides population data and historical survey instruments, and our patent-pending AI models produce statistically equivalent results — on demand, at a fraction of the cost.
Methodology
Our patent-pending two-step process ensures that synthetic panel data is both grounded in your specific population and calibrated to your established research instruments.
Step 1: Population Grounding
The model is trained on a fixed population of interest — customer records, employee datasets, or product ownership files. This ensures that the synthetic respondents reflect the actual composition and characteristics of your target audience.
Step 2: Survey Fine-Tuning
The model is then fine-tuned on your historical survey data. Most enterprises repeat the same core questionnaires over time; this step delivers continuity and comparability across waves, matching the patterns established in your existing research program.
Combined accuracy: Together, these two steps yield a KL divergence of approximately 0.08 — comparable to live private panel data. This means synthetic panel outputs are closely comparable to traditional panel results across key metrics.
Advantages over Traditional Panels
Synthetic panels eliminate the operational burden of traditional panel management while delivering equivalent data quality.
No Recruitment or Incentives
Eliminates the cost and administrative burden of recruiting panelists, managing incentive programs, and maintaining panel health over time.
Continuity
Respondent-level data remains stable over time, enabling consistent tracking across waves without the attrition and churn that plague traditional panels.
Speed of Results
Complete datasets are generated in minutes, providing rapid turnaround for trackers and time-sensitive research without waiting for field time.
Scalability
Generate data instantly and repeatedly without panel fatigue or availability concerns. Scale sample sizes up or down as needed for any given wave.
Data Privacy
Client data is processed securely within our infrastructure. Model weights and client data never leave our possession, and synthetic outputs contain no identifiable information.
Applications
Private synthetic panels are designed for enterprise use cases where longitudinal tracking and proprietary population data are essential.
- Customer satisfaction and loyalty tracking — Maintain continuous measurement programs without the cost and complexity of live panel management
- Employee engagement measurement — Generate engagement data grounded in your workforce composition, on any schedule you need
- Product and brand experience research — Track product perception and brand health across customer segments over time
- Enterprise trackers requiring longitudinal continuity — Preserve wave-over-wave comparability while eliminating panel attrition and recruitment delays
Validation Results
Our synthetic panel methodology has been independently tested and validated against live private panel data.
KL Divergence ≈ 0.08: Independent tests show a KL divergence of approximately 0.08 — comparable to the variation observed between separate waves of the same live private panel.
Research-grade replication: By grounding the model in your populations and surveys and applying our patent-pending AI models, Simsurveys provides respondent-level datasets that replicate the quality of traditional panels while removing their operational limitations — no recruitment, no incentives, no panel fatigue, no attrition.